What is love?
by Fujimori
Summary: Soubi and Ritsuka go about their daily rituals, with the occasional fights and passionate moments. But in the darkness a new evil is waiting to show itself in the form of a man named Sekkaku, who is a fighter for a child named Chujitsu.
1. Chapter 1

The tall blonde college student stood out on the balcony of his sacrifices room, rain matted his long hair to his form, covered by simple jeans, a shirt, and his favored dark trenchcoat. He

wasnt sure why he was here, maybe only because he knew the boy did not want to see him. He had made his way up to the boys balcony without being noticed, as usual, and he could now

see those violet-black feline ears twitch and flatten against his hair of the same color as he lost himself in thought over the mountains of papers that cluttered his desk. "Another school project"

he thought to himself in frustration, the boys school was becoming a hinderance with his plans to get close to him.

A banging at the door just beyond the boys slumped figure brought Soubi from his daze, he saw the boy jump and it made him furious that Ritsuka thought he had reason to feel like he

was in danger. When Ritsuka lowered his head to concentrate more on his papers the man observing him decided he had had enough. He opened up the balcony door and stepped in

wordlessly, only inside enough so that he could shut the rain out of the young ones room. The boy looked up as if he were shocked that he had come, but Soubi had noted that the balcony

doors were unlocked as usual and just begging for him to intrude. Still his mother banged down the door but neither of them payed her any attention. Ritsuka slowly placed his pencil upon his

desk, his eyes never leaving the tall, dripping figure. He stood, pushing back his chair with the back of his legs. Pained, violet-brown eyes watched his every movement and he asked in a

whisper "Why are you here?" Soubi simply took a short step forward and replied in his level voice "because I wanted to see you" obviously the boy either did not like his answer of did not believe

it, he turned to his chair and pulled his towel off of the back, "Dry yourself off, your soaking my floor." He demanded as he threw the towel to the older male who promptly caught it and brought it

to the long blonde hair that draped over his shoulder, he was thankfully enveloped with the scent of the younger one but his expression did not show his pleasure.

"Ritsuka, Suki da yo." Soubi chimed as he was so used to doing by now, and even though he did not want to believe it, the cat boy as well was used to hearing this, and accepted it as

such. None the less his fists clenched and he forgot about everything except his pain "Dont Ever say that. I told you...I dont want to hear anything like that." His words were almost as cutting

as the vicious tone he delivered them with. In the back of his mind he could hear his mother give up her futile pursuit of his company, and sink to the floor on the other side of his door with sobs

of a broken heart. Soubi would have Loved to go and grab that annoying woman by her neck and just take her away, somewhere where she could not hurt the child before him any longer,

somewhere where she may not even hurt herself in her desperation for a normality that would never be again. His cold, blue eyes darted around the room and he came to the conclusion that,

instead of moving his mother, he would have to move the boy if he really wanted to protect him. "Why dont you come with me?" he asked calmly, as if the child had never gotten angry at him in

the first place.

His feline ears were as flat against his head as he could get them, Ritsuka forced himself to look up at Soubi, hoping that when he made eye contact with those normally emotionless

eyes they might realize that he was in pain. Still in a hushed voice he said "How can you..." with those few words he seemed to find his strength and he glared at the other, in a strong voice he

continued "How can you ask me to go with you? why are you even here! I havent seen you in half a month...there is no excuse to keep me waiting that long. I was worried about you. How can

you just walk in here and ask me to go with you after you hurt me like that?" He was visibly relieved to get his frustration off of his chest and his fists unclenched. He did not like the fact that the

man could still stand there and look as if none of this mattered.


	2. Chapter 2

Soubi couldnt take it, he moved forward with a phantom grace and he embraced the child that he was so fond of before there could be any protest "I...am sorry. But if you worry about

me. Than you should call." he could have apologized and made Ritsuka feel like he would not do it again, but instead he had decided to speak the truth and take the consequence of doing so

"And if you dont like it...Punish me." These were also familiar words for the other in the room to hear but again that did not mean that he would simply let the man get away with it.

Ritsuka pulled himself from the college students firm embrace and stumbled backwards, leaning against the door and grimacing as he heard his name whispered through sobs on the

other side...no. Not his name...the real ritsuka's name. That was who his mother really wanted. "I did call." he said in a defeated voice, it was obvious that he would never make Soubi understand

how he felt or how angry he really was beneath all of the hesitation he was regretfully showing. He wanted nothing more than to go back to his work...or maybe just go to sleep forever. But when

Soubi had that look in his eyes, the child knew that it was almost impossible to tell him no...so he stepped forward with his head hung low and murmured "But ill go anyway." His curfew...his

mother...his school work. They could all wait one more night.

The blonde had let the towel he had been holding fall to the floor now, and he moved forward with care, taking the childs small hand in his own "Well then. We will have to get by your

mother...that is unless you would like to take my normal route out of your room." He saw the boys hesitation and his glance over to the window, and without being told the older male knew his

answer "Lets go." he said simply and made a move to open the door that seperated the two of them from his mother. He received no protest from the boy and so he did open the door, his

mother was a form that took a moment for eyes to adjust to. She was crouched at the door, her face buried in her arms and the phone of the house hold was lying beside her. When the door

opened, Ritsuka had hidden behind Soubi, clenching his hand tightly and trying not to look at his mother. But as she looked up to the male intruder she did not try to hide her own gaze at what

all she could see of the child "Who are you? did...did that imposter let you in my house?" she asked in a voice that cracked and sounded hoarse with angered tears. Soubi did not answer her,

he simply stepped over her and attempted to make his way towards the front door with Ritsuka in close pursuit. When Misaki had caught on to the movement she began to rise from the floor,

"You...your taking my ritsuka? who...are you?" slowly as she spoke her words became more frantic and it was obvious that she was a disturbed and breaking soul. The college student had

reached the door without any unwanted intermissions and if he did not want to appear so intimidating he might have sighed with relief, although as he reached for the door he heard the soft scrap

of a heavy vase being pulled off of a wooden surface. He turned, anticipating the object flying at them just quick enough to bring an arm in front of the small child who stood petrified, and guard

him from the shattering porcelain. Misaki had a murderous look in her eyes as they darted around the room in search for another object to throw at the young one, she reached for a portrait on

the wall and as her arm rose it was caught by a far stronger grip than her own. While she had searched the room with her eyes, Soubi had moved in and grabbed the arm that threatened to

attack them again, he did not bother trying to be kind with her and threw her against the wall by her wrist, glaring coldly into her eyes and saying in his calm voice "I am taking Ritsuka

out...possibly for good if you do not compose yourself." and eerie smile passed over his face as he let her go and she sunk to the floor yet again, tears of fear and shock bleeding from her eyes

without her showing any sign of knowing. The man took this as his cue and he gently nudged the small child who had walked up next to him towards the door, he held it open and they both

thankfully left that dreaded house.


	3. Chapter 3

Once they were outside the cold night air blessed them, almost pleading they come further into natures sweet embrace. Or maybe Soubi was just being too hopeful he, looked down at the child and said in a voice that was just as calm and seemingly emotionless "Where should we go now? I'll do whatever you ask." had the older male not been entirely certain that the desperate woman behind the door that was shut just behind them would not bother to pursue or bother them anymore he might have just gotten to the point and taken the boy where he intended on taking him, but Soubi knew better than to pass up an opprotuinity to see Ritsuka so cutely upset.

He was right, the child was upset, he narrowed his eyes up at the older male and said in an irritated voice "You dragged me out of my house past curfew so i I /i could pick where we go?" he rolled his eyes and then promptly averted them from his older counter part.

It was the sight that he saw next that warned him of what was to happen that night...if only he knew how ominous that blue butterfly was...flying under a lamp post in the dead of night with no apparant purpose. Soubi came up from behind him and wrapped his arms around that lithe waist, for a moment, still watching that blue spectacle, ritsuka found himself forgetting to pull away like he normally would.

But the pause was only a momentary present to his dear Soubi...when he realized what had just happened he pulled away from him grumbled his complaints about he not liking that kind of treatment, and how soubi was being a pervert. That was when a strange chime reached the childs ears, he turned to see the other lifting his phone from his pocket to his ear with an irritated expression on his face 'Who would be calling me right now?' he thought to himself, not even bothering to linger on the question or to check the caller id. On the other end of the phone, first there was only whining and complaining that all melted together into incoherent babble, it took a moment before anything Kio was saying made any sense "And its all because of those darn Aoyagi! and that stupid lolita complex! why soubi...wwwwwhhhhyyyyy!" he sounded like a child and at the last, enlongated word, soubi had to remove the phone from his ear for fear of losing his hearing.

Ritsuka cocked his head to the side ever so slightly in wonder at the peeved look on the others face, an emotion like that wasnt something he saw everyday in this person. "Kio...Im not a pervert." he said definitely before he clicked the phone off and sighed 'He must be drunk again.' he explained to himself and then pocketed the phone without another thought towards the subject.

Violet tinted eyes wandered towards the door of his home but blue ones, paralleling that almost inhuman beauty caught them and the owner took action on a dime...he leaned forward to whisper into the childs ear in a cheerfully hushed voice "Shall we go now?" he needed to take the child from this place...and he wanted to do it for good.

But he didnt know if he could ever get Ritsuka to leave his mother behind, even though she treated him horribly, soubi could still tell that he was loyal and would stay loyal until that woman sent him to his premature grave. While these morbid thoughts plagued his mind he found himself wandering away from the house, the boy obliged to his request and followed close behind him with his hands tucked protectively in his pockets, but what was he protecting? probably just what little security he had left.

The blonde himself didnt know where they were going, so when he found himself looking at the picnic table he had taken ritsuka's first kiss at, he wondered how...and why...his mind had led him there. The same question seemed to be nagging at the younger one as he stepped towards the table and leaned his weight against it, legs crossed at the ankles and hands still taking refuge in his pockets "So...why are we out here, Soubi?" he was trying not to sound as scared as he really was in this situation and soubi was trying to sound just as knowing as he wished he really was.

"Ritsuka. Come li--" the man had the others full attention the moment he opened his mouth but a scream broke his sentence in half, it was so close and soubi wondered if another pair had snuck up without him noticing...impossible. When he turned he saw a blonde blur go past him at an astounding speed for someone soubi knew to be Very drunk, he followed the blur with his eyes and his body followed smoothly, but the sight that awaited him was overwhelmingly aggravating.

Ritsuka was now on top of the table instead of just leaning against it and the assailant, his so called 'friend' Kio, was snuggling into his neck, murring and whimpering more of his incoherent babble. The younger ones tail whipped the table below him viciously and he yelled out scarring words to the older, more outgoing male, to make him relieve himself from the childs small body. Kio didnt hold back any of his weight on the child, he snuggled up to him and seemed to be pleading with him...but for what...no one could know.

Soubi had had enough of this disturbing sight, he moved swiftly before the two of them and grabbed Kio by the collar of his purple long sleeve button up shirt, pulling him, kicking and complaining, off of i his /i Ritsuka. "Kio. Why are you here?" he demanded to know in his cold voice, the one he used when he didnt want anyone to know that he was really fuming with murderous anger. "Souuuuubiiiii...why do you do this? why cant you just stay with me!" his breath reeked of some kind of alcohol, Soubi didnt care to know which it was, only how much he had had and when he would be back to normal.

Not that this wasnt a farcry from his normal self to begin with. The taller blonde seemed to ignore the writhing Kio in his firm grasp and he turned with a strange smile to Ritsuka "Well you cant go home now. You should just come stay with me for the night." the child was just righting himself and hopping off of the table when the invitation was given, he didnt think this was something that Soubi would normally say, and it definately wasnt how the Soubi he knew would normally say it...it must have been this other blonde male, Kio, who attributed to this change in attitude.

But no matter who made the college student act the way he did there was no sense in denying him what he wanted...and going back home to face his mother so soon after he had left was not something that he had really planned on doing...so he would simply nod and bow slightly. Even though Soubi was jerk it wouldnt hurt to be polite to him when he was offering his home for the night...

So Ritsuka again found himself following Soubi quietly through the night, but this time it was only he that was quiet, there was enough background noise from Kio to make up for any other noise that might have been during the short walk to the other mans apartment.


	4. Chapter 4

I dont normally do this, but I would like to add a special thanks to all who reviewed, and especially Soubi202 You really made my day! - Hope you guys enjoy this chapter, its kind of short but im already working on the next and it should be up soon.

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Once inside an apartment he was only vaguely familiar with, Ritsuka found a seat politely on the floor. The tall blonde who had lead him here would have protested, pointing out a more comfortable place to sit if he wasnt so preoccupied hoisting Kio into _his_ bed with irritation written all over his normally calm face. "Aoyagi...slime...be with me soubi!" that was all the words the youngest of the three in the room could make out of what drunken babble was being spewed out.

Soubi went to take off Kio's shirt, if only to make him more comfortable. But as a reward he got a loud moan that caused his younger friend's feline ears to press against his violet-black hair. The more mature of the two eldest continued to taking off the others tightly fitted pants, he didnt want to but he felt that as a friend he owed him this, if anything. To this gesture Kio arched his back and moaned again, whispering in a voice more coherent than the one he had recently been shouting with "Soubi...oh _yes _Soubi...you finally accepted me!"

Left in his boxers, tossing in a half asleep drunken stupor, Kio had finally stopped his useless rambling.

A rustle was heard from the bathroom and moments later the door opened, Youji and Natsuo walked out, arm in arm. They stopped and stared at the scene with an amused look on their child like faces "My my Soubi. Right in front of Ritsuka?" Natsuo teased with a giggle and then Youji raised his free hand into the air and they began to walk towards the door "Dont worry, were leaving." they didnt even bother to look over at the fighter, knowing without looking that he was upset at them...but that was only entertaining.

When the two had left the room without explanation or apparant reason, Soubi's attention was returned to their comment, he looked over at Ritsuka as if just realizing he was there "Well." he said, still in the attitude the younger one wasnt used to "I apologize for our plans being...interrupted."

At the last word a glance was cast towards the now sound asleep drunk. Ritsuka only bowed his head and kept his hands politely in his lap, he didnt know what to say. So much had happened tonight, he had completely ignored his schoolwork, ran out in the middle of the night past his mother with some adult she didnt know, then ran into Soubi's friend...who was drunk and not himself. Now he was sitting in his fighters apartment, looking down at his lap and trying not to think too far ahead, he was too busy dwelling on the past.

A groan and shift in movement from the sleeping one would break the awkward silence that had creeped into the air after Soubi last spoke. Seconds later he was standing above the boy, looking down at him with his normal, calm expression "If you dont like it...You should punish me." he stated, noting the frustrated confusion on the boys face.

In response he stood quickly and glared up at the older male, "But you left me alone for so long Soubi! I needed you!" he shouted and then covered his mouth, averting his eyes from the scene. But the older male wouldnt let it end like that, he neared quickly and gripped on to the others shoulders, gently but aggressively at the same time. He noted that tone in the boys voice, it wasnt embarrassment like he normally showed when he slipped up and revealed some of his true feelings, it was fear; a fear of being discovered and questioned.

So, being the disagreeable sort that he was, Soubi pressed on "What are you talking about? What happened?" he tried to hide the anxiousness in his voice to know what it was that was being hidden from him. If something had happened while he was not around, he wasnt sure if he could ever forgive himself. To his disdain, Ritsuka still wouldnt look at him but did explain...he had no other choice..."I met someone.

He was a fighter too...he said he was with the seven moons...I couldnt just let him leave." he waited to see if the other had anything to say to that, when he heard nothing he continued "He gave me a letter. It had instructions to kill us...signed with the initials SA." The grip on the boys shoulders lessened a bit but he was not satisfied, he could see that there was no relief on his sacrifice's face from telling him that story.

So it must not have been all that had happened "Is there...something else?" the blonde prodded and deep in his mind he was only thinking that he didnt want to hear what was to be said next "No. Thats not all. He kissed me." With that the boys ears again flattened against his hair and he finally looked up at his fighter, who was standing there dumbfounded on the inside, but glaring on the outside.

"What was this fighters name?" he asked coldly and malicious...murderous thoughts graced his tormented mind, in reply he got nothing but the name he requested "He said to call him Sekkaku." That name didnt ring a bell with him, which was troublesome, he released the boy from his grip and turned away from him, he had to turn away from him because now he wanted to kiss those lips himself.

To purge the evil from them and make the boy all his again. He felt horrible for not being there to protect him when he was needed most, he would rather have died than let something like this happen to the young one. "I apologize, Ritsuka. Suki da yo." he wanted to feign an air of normality, and to reassure him that he was not upset and would not be emotionally wavered by this small set back.

He wanted to ask more about the fighter, any apparant weaknesses perhaps, but he didnt want the boys mind on spell battles since he would rather keep him out of them all until he was better equiped with the knowledge he needed. "It's late. You should rest." he suggested and motioned to the only bed in the room, occupied by Kio. When he crawled into the bed inbetween Kio and Ritsuka he knew he was putting his body at risk but in a way he found it redemption for not being able to guard him before.

The child was extremely nervous about sleeping so close to the other but eventually his sleep rid him of all his tribulations "Suki da yo." was the last thing Soubi would say that night, brushing some hair from the childs face and then snaking his arms skillfully around that lithe stomach to hold him close. Ritsuka might not be happy with him in the morning for doing it...but for right now he just needed to hold him close and remind himself that this was all real.


	5. Chapter 5

Merf...okay I put one of these in here again - I just Love the bar effect giggles okay. I made this chapter longer, hope you guys like it.

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Sunshine invaded the windows of the small apartment, signifing early morning the next day. But one of the three who lay cramped in the bed was already awake, Kio, looking around alarmed from the floor; checked his watch and hissed audibly "Soubi! I dont know how I got here but were gonna be late for school!" Ritsuka was the one to respond to the frantic warning, sitting up and being rewarded with a friendly smile and wave "Oh Morning Aoyagi." Kio said kindly and ritsuka waved back politely.

He couldnt look at the man the same again after all his confessions the night before but what was to be expected? He would at least act like it wasnt haunting his mind. "Could you shake Soubi awake for me? I dont think sensei will be happy if he misses another day...and our projects are due today. Glad I turned mine in early as usual!" he was grabbing his clothes and pulling them on, looking around for something to eat "Oh. Ritsuka dont you have school today too?" he asked with a sudden curiousity, to which the answer was a shake of the head

"No. They are having a parent teacher day...I dont need to go." Normally on days like this kids went with their parents to fight or celebrate over grades and behavior but his mother had seen the notice about the day and still decided not to go so he had no reason to show up...oh no...his mother! he had forgotten all about her and how rude it was for him to leave the house like that, in the back of his mind he did hate her a little for treating him the way she did but he covered up his upset feelings by justifing her actions, she had all the right in the world to be upset with him for not being her true son.

In the end it was his own fault for taking her son from her...for wearing his face. That was the excuse he would give himself so he didnt have to feel anything about his mothers lack of love for him. He was so busy dazing off in thought about his mother that he didnt hear Kio announce his leave, the sound of the door slamming behind him roused the boy from his thoughts and the other man from his sleep.

He groaned and opened one gorgeous blue eye to the world, a hand raising to his forhead and moving some of the hair out of his way "Ritsuka?" he asked in an almost surprised voice as he caught sight of the violet tinted eyes casting a nervous glance his way. "Um...good morning..." the boy recited as he had been taught by the world around him and then crawled over Soubi to get off of the bed and stretch, unknowingly his back was admired when his shirt raised. Although when his arms came down again, Soubi buried his dirty thoughts as he was used to doing and tried to remember the night before...thoughts of the park, Ritsuka's mother, and...Kio.

"Where is Kio, Ritsuka?" he asked suddenly, sitting up and looking around the room, all the evidence that he had been there drunk the night before was gone, except for the child who now stood, looking towards the door. "He said that you two were going to be late for school and he left." it was a short but concise answer and the blonde had only to nod in aknowledgment of it.

He knew that despite his self destructive tendencies, Kio was a dedicated and hard working student who was very talented in the field he studied, although the other wasnt a bad artist himself. He remembered with another groan that their projects were due today and he had yet again put finishing his off for long enough to where he would have to convince the teacher into giving him an extension.

"Are you hungry, Ritsuka?" he asked, remembering where he was and what his current duties were, he could skip his classes today and say that he was working on his project all day long, it should go over well since even late projects were admired when they came from him.

Ritsuka shook his head and looked around the room, he wondered where the Zero boys had gone off to but he knew that if he asked that now it would just be obvious that he was trying to change the subject. Soubi regretfully pulled himself from the bed and straightened out the clothes he had fallen asleep in, looking the boy over he asked "Do you have anything to change into?" to which he only got a shake of the head yet again, he wouldnt ask the boy about his own school, he had noted the papers on his desk about the parent day and he knew how the boy felt about days like those.

"Well, would you like to go out?" he asked with a slight tilt of his head and a friendly smile, when those violet tinted eyes finally wandered back to him he was struck with a certain memory from the night before

_"Sekkaku...he kissed me..." _inside he felt a flurry of anger and resentment returning but he made sure that none of it was shown to the boy standing before him with a trusting look on his face

"I dont have my camera...so we cant make any memories." he noted regretfully and Soubi kept the smile plastered to his face "Then well simply find something else to do." such a reassuring answer and it entailed such an exciting day. He knew the boys fascination with memories, both making and keeping them around him, but he wanted to pull him out of the pessimistic view of the world, he didnt want him to go to sleep every night thinking that he would wake up not himself in the morning.

The thought even scared him, a grown man, a fighter, someone who seemed to be flawless and indestructable...but he was scared to think of what the other Ritsuka might be like, scared to think that he would just change completely and he might not get so adorably angry like he is known to, he might not pull away from the kisses that were forced upon him with care and forbidden love.

About thirty minutes later he found himself sitting on a park bench, across from the child with his elbows propped on the table top and his fingers laced thinking over a question that he had just been asked "So Soubi...what did you want to talk to me about last night?" He didnt want to but he knew he had to, so he sighed and let his arms all to the table slowly, fingers still laced upon themselves

"What I wanted last night was last night. What I want now is for you to tell me more about this, Sekkaku, person." He didnt want his adorable Ritsuka to be alone with that man again, he wanted to make it so that man could no longer breathe so that he could never touch _his_ ritsuka again. For now he would settle with finding his weaknesses and planning on how to go about a spell battle with him.

If he was that ruthless of a fighter, that he would attack Ritsuka outside of the battlefield, then what worried him even more was what his sacrifice would be like.

Ritsuka's tension about the subejct was shown all over his face and even in his eyes "He...said things to me. About my brother. He said that he didnt know if he was really the one in charge of them all since he hadnt gotten direct orders from the highest up before." Soubi nodded at the information and then, seeing just how uncomfortable he was talking about it he couldnt force him to talk anymore, he was afraid he would lose control and take it out on the younger one.

He just had to know one last thing "You said...that he kissed you. Is that all? did he do anything else?" he was extremely protective of the flesh that his own lips had graced and loved and he would make sure that the man who marred that exclusive attention would suffer for every little thing he did.

"Of course thats all he did, do you think I would let him do anything else to me?" the boy shouted outraged and then looked up at the afternoon sky, they had been there longer than he thought they would be and had discussed almost nothing.

In his mind the only thing the older blonde was thinking was that he would get back at him, he would make that pervert feel pain he couldnt have imagined in his entire worthless life.

Ritsuka stood and frowned down at his fighter "Im going home...its almost curfew" he had a few hours left but he thought that after the way he had left his mother the night before he shouldnt try his luck by coming back even close to late.

Soubi stood as well, motioning towards the path "Ill walk you." he offered with that normal smile on his face, trying to make light of the situation. "Dont bother!" the cat boy shouted and began to walk, forcing his fists into the pockets of his jacket and walking towards his home in silent thought.

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And in the next chapter be prepared for...Dun dun dun...a one on one chat with Sekkaku and Soubi! Ill get right on it. 


	6. Chapter 6

This chapter is...Fully dedicated to my love and my darling Soubi...hehe...no not the anime one, though that'd be pretty cool too! Sou you all but Forced me to write this chapter with your godly powers so I hope you like it

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When Ritsuka returned home everything seemed so eeirly normal. His mother was sitting on the couch watching the air before her, the faint sound of cooking reaching his ears. As he stepped through the door he chimed his normal greeting and Misaki immediately looked over her shoulder, rising and hurrying over to embrace him.

"Oh, Ritsuka, I knew you'd come back. I was worried...but...i'm making you lunch." she was acting too nice, her sentence seemed...stressed and cut off...she was beginning to sound like a broken record. A few moments later she released him unharmed and he made his way up the stairs. He had school tomorrow and it wouldn't be good if he didn't sit down and study some. But when the door to his room opened he simply stared in horror...She'd never gone this far before...she'd never invaded his room like this.

Pictures caked the floor, shreddd by ill intented hands. They were the memories he'd made with Soubi when they met...how could she do this?! It wasn't just the pictures either, his bed was messed as if she'd been searching for a secret he may hide and his computer monitor was on its side. Upon further examination he noted with relief that it wasn't harmed...Hard as it was through teh tear clouded eyes he righted the monitor and started to pick up the remains of his precious pictures from the floor. He'd have to print more copies out later tonight...so much for studying...

Meanwhile Soubi was putting his latest masterpiece in a safe place to dry, grinning with satisfaction at the way it had come out. Stippling usually wasn't something he used more than in moderation...but...this picture had Called for it and it turned out nicely. Deciding he was happy with how things were he pulled his phone out and flipped it open to check for messages, but he barely saw the flash of '1 new message' before Kio was attempting to snatch the phone from him. "Soubi! You should pay attention to what's Around you! not that Kid!" he explained in a voice too whiney to be taken seriously.

The taller of the two frowned, pocketed his phone, and promptly left the building with his things...he was still peeved at Kio for how things had happened before. Smothering his kitten on a picnic table like that...how could he stand for it? Kio broodingly watched him out the window, walking down the street, and a grin tugged at Soubi's lips since...not two minutes into his walk home...his phone had started ringing. Without bothering to check who it was, since it was either Kio or Ritsuka and he didn't mind talking to either, though he preferred the latter, he pulled the phone to his ear. "Hello." he'd state in a moderately friendly voice, but all kindness died hearing the tone that responded. This was not Kio, Ritsuka, or even Ritsu...in fact it was no one he knew that did or didn't have his cell phone number.

His former carefree attitude bled away in a heartbeat and he took on the cold, stoic personality of the fighter he was "Who is this?" he demanded to know in a harsh tone, even though he felt that he already knew. In return a teasing one reached his ears "Who am I?...Who are You?" then a pause before the voice picked up again "Wait wait, don't answer that. I know who you are...you're the liar...the liar fighter who can't protect his little kitty." By now Soubi's teeth were gritted in anger, was this person talking about Ritsuka? And he knew about the fighter status...so he must be from the same place as the others. "Who sent you?" he hissed into the phone and in reply, "Why, Nagisa sensei of course! But...we're not Zero." he'd explain in a taunting tone.

Soubi hated to be baited and led along like this, he needed to be in control of the situation, so without wasting a second he went to click the phone off. Then the voice boomed, cutting the night with it's words "Did he tell you?!" it asked and then "Don't hang up if you want to know." But the fighter wouldn't take another second of it, there wasn't anything this idiot knew that he couldn't find out elsewhere on his Own terms. So he hung up...finishing his walk home wondering over everything.

It was near midnight when Ritsuka was finished reprinting the pictures, cleaning everything up, and calming himself down. He didn't like to stay up this late, especially on school nights and he knew that he'd be sleeping in class tomorrow. Even so...he was laying in bed with his phone in hand...staring at it longily, his eyes only left it to snatch a glance at the window. Both remained unmoving and his eyes were just beginning to close despite his mental orders...although the chime that indicated a call was enough to have him sitting up in bed in seconds.

Flipping the phone open and raising it to his ear "Soubi!" he'd declare frantically, it seemed he wasn't the only one that had been restless...what he didn't know is that it was probably for the very same reason. "Hello, Ritsuka" chimed the pleasant voice he knew to be Soubi's, the man had taken his time calming down and thinking things through before risking to call his sacrifice...now he had a plan...so it was safe. "How are you feeling?" he'd ask calmly. Ritsuka took a deep breath and his ears pinned slightly...he was so happy...so happy to hear his voice tonight. "Oh...okay."

Soubi ran through some more verbal formalities before he finally got to the question he Really wanted to ask "Has Sekkaku disturbed you lately?" The question took the boy by surprise and unfortunately for himself he took a couple staggering seconds before responding. "No! Of course not..." The older of the two's worst fears were confirmed...this person...this fighter...must have contacted Ritsuka again before tonight.

So...he told Ritsuka goodnight and turned the phone off for the night, but he knew that even though he Said he was going to bed, he wouldn't get any sleep tonight. Should he camp outside his kittens house? Just in case? He didn't like not knowing how his enemy operated...what strategy they'd use. Before he sat down for the night with a drink he logged the phone number that had called him earlier in his phone book as '?' and then plugged it in to charge. If he was right then this person would call him again soon...and he'd want to know it was him if he was using the same phone...which he'd have no reason not to do.


End file.
